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Current Fellows

Culver Fellows earn a renewable annual scholarship of $2,000 — in addition to all other merit- and need-based financial aid awarded by Simpson College — to pursue their interests in political science, public policy, history, journalism, international relations and related fields. Fellows serve as ambassadors for the John C. Culver Public Policy Center, welcoming distinguished speakers to campus and leading voter registration and civic engagement initiatives. Unique opportunities available to Culver Fellows include:

  • Attending the annual conference of the National Campaign for Political & Civic Engagement at the Harvard Institute of Politics;
  • Serving as Ambassadors for the Andrew Goodman Foundation’s Vote Everywhere Program;
  • Organizing debates, town halls, public forums, and candidate visits to campus;
  • Access to internship and job opportunities in politics and government;
  • Working with the director of the Culver Center to develop a signature research or advocacy project to extend academic coursework into experiential learning opportunities and leadership roles.

Applications for the Culver Fellowship are due each year on February 16 for the incoming fall class of first year students. Click here for application guidelines and materials.


CLASS OF 2019:

Danielle BatesDanielle Bates is a Culver Fellow from Kansas City, Missouri. She graduated from North Kansas City High School and is an International Baccalaureate Diploma recipient. Danielle is a Andrew Goodman Foundation Vote Everywhere Ambassador. She plays tennis for Simpson and is involved in the Speech and Debate team, Model UN team, and College Republicans. Danielle is also a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society. She is working towards majors in Political Science, International Relations, and Religion, and a minor in French. During her sophomore year, Danielle attended the Harvard IOP’s National Campaign for Political and Civic Engagement where she worked with students from around the country on solutions to today’s polarization. In the Spring of 2018, Danielle interned at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. where she researched topics relating to American Congress and Politics. In May of 2018, Danielle attended the Henry Clay Center for Statesmanship College Student Congress as the representative for Iowa, where she collaborated with students from all 50 states to reach solutions on divisive political issues through compromises. Following this, Danielle traveled with 24 other HCCS students to Washington D.C. where they presented their solutions to members of the U.S. Congress. Danielle is serving as Simpson’s 2018-19 Newman Civic Fellow and hopes to use this opportunity to increase the Simpson community’s civic engagement. Danielle is passionate about politics, foreign affairs, and civic engagement.  After graduation Danielle hopes to either volunteer with the Peace Corps or move to Washington D.C. to pursue a career relating to her passions, and may eventually go to graduate school. 

Jacob BrunsJacob Bruns is a Culver Fellow from Washington, Iowa. He is a double major in Applied Philosophy and Economics & Finance, working towards a future in either employment and labor law or academic philosophy. Jacob’s campus involvement includes positions of Simpson Colloquium Leader in the First Year Experience, resident economic modeler on the Palmer Project research team, member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon executive council, and member of the Simpson College Feminists. During the fall 2018 semester, Jacob is participating in the Capitol Hill Internship Program in Washington, DC as an intern for Congressman Dave Loebsack (IA-2). Jacob believes that the future of the United States will be determined by how well the American public is educated, engaged, and represented in public policy. Jacob’s political goals center around promoting the rights and representation of the working class, equal access to vital social services, and equality along all social and class-based intersections. “The John C. Culver Public Policy Center is what drew me to Simpson College. As soon as I learned I was accepted as a fellow, I knew that this was the place where I could do the best for myself and for the community.”

BobbiFogleBobbi Fogle is a Culver Fellow from Oskaloosa, Iowa, majoring in political science and psychology. Bobbi became active in politics in high school, participating in debate and volunteering on campaigns. At the forefront of Bobbi’s drive to learn more about government and policy is the idea of equity, striving towards “liberty and justice for all” as outlined in the Pledge of Allegiance.  This principle is evident in the Bobbi’s internship and employment experiences as well, having worked for Hillary for America, NARAL, Youth Emergency Services and Shelter, AmeriCorps at Des Moines Public Schools and most recently at the Beacon of Life. Outside of work and the classroom, Bobbi furthers her advocacy by volunteering for the Des Moines SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) chapter as well as on campus as a SARA. During the Iowa legislative session Bobbi can be found at the state capitol where she works as a legislative clerk. Bobbi is also a proud member of the Simpson speech and debate team where she has won several honors and awards and looks forward to defending the team’s national championship. Her hobbies include video games, listening to podcasts, and playing with her dog Sullivan. After graduating from Simpson Bobbi plans on attending law school to continue her fight for equity.

Samantha HafermannSamantha Hafermann is a Culver fellow from Goodell, Iowa. She graduated from West Fork High School in Sheffield, Iowa before coming to Simpson College. She is majoring in English and minoring in multimedia journalism. She became interested in politics through her volunteer work at the Caring Pregnancy Center and listening to her parents talk about the elections as a child.  Along with being a Culver Fellow, she is a part of Alpha Lambda Delta honor society and Sigma Tau Delta English honor society. Sam has had a very rewarding experience as a Culver fellow and has enjoyed her time so far at Simpson.

Elizabeth MixonElizabeth L. Mixon is a Culver Fellow from Leawood, Kansas. She graduated from Blue Valley North High School before attending Simpson. She is interested in public policy because she wants to give a voice to women and children, primarily in the area of combatting human trafficking. She is majoring in Political Science and International Relations before attending law school and hopes to go into the FBI. In addition to being a Culver Fellow, she participates in the Simpson College Speech and Debate team and is active in the Delta Delta Delta Sorority. The Culver Center will allow her to intern in Washington D.C., which will bring her closer to the center of where public policy is made. Elizabeth strongly believes that public policy is important because that is where real change occurs.

Randy PaulsonRandy Paulson is a Culver Fellow from Grinnell, Iowa. He is majoring in multimedia journalism and Spanish. At Simpson, he is the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, The Simpsonian, and works at the Kent Information Desk. He has also been involved with The Acorn (a satirical publication), speech and debate, Simpson Feminists, and Active Minds. As a freshman, he interned for the House of Representatives at the Iowa Capitol during the legislative session. His sophomore year, he served as a Writing Fellow for a freshmen debate class. Also as a sophomore, he attended the national conference of the Campaign for Political & Civic Engagement at Harvard’s Institute of Politics, where he collaborated with other college students to find solutions for the intense political division prevalent in the United States. He finished his sophomore year with a two-week trip to London, England for a May Term class on media, culture and sport. During spring 2018, he was the communications intern at the Iowa National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). In summer 2018, he interned at Iowa Information Publications in Sheldon, where he wrote for two weekly newspapers (The N’West Iowa Review and the Sheldon Mail-Sun) and two magazines (Discover and Okoboji Magazines). As a Culver Fellow, Randy enjoys being involved in the political scene while at Simpson. He believes civic engagement is key to understanding the way a democratic society functions and allows individuals to help shape the world in which they live. 

Casey NickelCasey Nickel is a Culver Fellow is a Culver Fellow from Grinnell, Iowa. Casey will graduate in December of 2018 with a degree in Political Science. During her time at Simpson Casey has been involved in Speech and Debate, Student Government Association, Kappa Kappa Gamma, and has been a member of the cheer team. She has served as the Culver Center Undergraduate Assistant, the Student Development Marketing and Promotions Undergraduate Assistant, Clerked for Senator Amy Sinclair, worked as a Field Director for the Iowa Senate Majority Fund, and interned with the Iowa Senate Republican Analysts. After graduating Casey hopes to work as an education analyst within the Iowa Legislature.

Sydney SamplesSydney Samples is a Culver Fellow from Des Moines, Iowa. She is pursing a double major in Environmental Studies and Spanish, with a minor in Political Science. Sydney spent her Junior spring semester studying abroad in Concepción, Chile, where she lived with a host family and spent time learning about Chilean culture and improving her Spanish language abilities. At Simpson College, Sydney has been involved in the Student Government Association, the Speech and Debate team, Sustainability Club, Light Company, and the sorority Kappa Kappa Gamma. Sydney had the honor of serving as the youngest Student Body President in the school’s history in 2017. She also served as a Newman Civic Fellow of the 2017-2018 school year and attended the national Newman Civic Fellow Conference in Boston. Sydney is a part of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society. Following her first-year at Simpson, Sydney interned at the Iowa Environmental Council. During her sophomore and junior years, she interned over her breaks at IMPACT7G. While at Simpson, she has worked on many projects to make the campus more sustainable, including leading a prairie reconstruction project. After graduation, Sydney plans on attending the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey to pursue a masters in international environmental policy.

Emily SchwickerathEmily Schwickerath is a Culver Fellow from New Hampton, Iowa. She is majoring in Political Science with a minor in religion. Schwickerath is heavily involved on Simpson’s campus as a member of the speech and debate team and is a member of Simpson College Republicans. Off campus, she has worked as a field director for the Senate Majority Fund, legislative secretary in the Iowa Senate, field director for Kim Reynolds For Iowa, and is currently the Deputy Director of the Senate Majority Fund. Schwickerath also attended the Harvard Institute of Politics National Campaign conference as a sophomore. There she collaborated with other college students across the United States on civic service. Being taught to always work hard and stand up for her values, Schwickerath finds it important to have her voice heard by working in government. “There is no better way to change the world around you than to directly influence elections and policy. As a Culver Fellow, I had the tools needed to get my start in politics. Already seeing success, I can’t wait to keep changing the world around me.”


CLASS OF 2020:

Kathryn HaysKathryn Hays is a Culver Fellow from Macomb, Illinois. She is majoring in International Relations and Political Science with a minor in French. She spent the spring of 2018 studying in France and the fall of 2018 serving as an intern at the French Embassy in Washington, DC as part of the Capitol Hill Internship Program. Kathryn’s passion for languages, traveling, and serving others has led her to pursue a future fighting for children’s rights internationally. Until then, you can find her reading to a multitude of engaged two-year-olds. She first became interested in public relations after receiving the honor of attending the Youth to Washington program, where she fostered her love of American politics. Kathryn is ecstatic to be a Culver Fellow and take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities available to her to further better the community.

Levi LefebureLevi Lefebure is a Culver Fellow from Fairfax, Iowa. At Simpson College, he is majoring in Political Science, Mathematics, and History. He is involved with Cross-Country, Track & Field, the Iowa History Center, the Campus Election Engagement Project, the Student Athletic Advisory Council and Simpson Colloquium on campus. Upon leaving Simpson, Levi hopes to find work in the Political Methodology field. Policy has interested Levi from a young age as well as the numbers behind anything and everything. He is excited about being a Culver Fellow because it allows him to be as involved in politics on campus as possible. The opportunity of working with campaigns and candidates locally, the Capitol Hill Internship program, voter registration opportunities and the many programs run on campus are all reasons Levi is ecstatic about being a Culver Fellow.

Erin MagoffieErin Magoffie is a Culver Fellow from Anthem, Arizona. She is triple majoring in Political Science, English, and French with double minors in Biology and Sustainability Studies. She graduated from North Canyon High School and is an International Baccalaureate Diploma recipient. In addition to being a Culver Fellow, Erin is also a Cowles Fellow, a player on Simpson’s Women’s Soccer team, a member of the Speech and Debate team, a Wesley Service Scholar, the Academic Chairman for the Delta Delta Delta Women’s Fraternity and she works in Simpson’s Admissions Office as an undergraduate assistant. Erin is also a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society and was awarded the 2017 Simpson College Omicron Delta Kappa Emerging Leader Award. During her time at Simpson, Erin has spent a semester studying abroad in Tahiti, where she interned for the US Consulate Agency, and she intends on participating in the Capitol Hill Internship Program in Washington, D.C. in spring 2019. In terms of internships, Erin has worked for former US Congressman Trent Franks and former US Senator John McCain. She has also completed research at Biosphere 2, the world's largest facility for Earth processing and environmental science research. After graduating, Erin would like to become an environmental lawyer or enter the political field. Erin is excited to be a Culver Fellow, as it is an opportunity that allows her to expand her current political ideals and show Simpson what she has to offer in terms of political knowledge.

Kelsey PoppeKelsey Poppe is a Culver Fellow from Ionia, Iowa. She graduated from Nashua-Plainfield High School before coming to Simpson. She is double majoring in Business Management and Psychology, with a minor in Human Resources. After graduation, she hopes to attend law school. In addition to being a Culver Fellow, Kelsey is involved with Simpson Women’s Golf Team and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society.
 

Abby SchulteAbby Schulte is a Culver Fellow from Keota, Iowa majoring in Political Science and History. Along with the Culver Fellowship, she is a member of the Speech and Debate Team, Simpson College Democrats, Simpson Pre-Law Society, and the Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society. She also serves as a Vote Everywhere Ambassador for the Andrew Goodman Foundation and is on the executive board for College and Young Democrats of Iowa. Abby has always been interested in politics, but decided she wanted to pursue a career in it while working on a civic engagement project during the 2016 Iowa Caucus that involved getting presidential candidates to visit her small rural high school. Throughout her Culver Fellowship, she has volunteered for the Hillary Clinton campaign and spent a summer interning at Congressman Dave Loebsack’s District Office in Iowa City. She was also awarded the Rising Star Award by Iowa’s Second District Democrats in 2017. After graduation, Abby plans to attend law school to pursue a career in either civil rights law or public policy.

Quinn SlavenQuinn Slaven is a Culver Fellow from Mason City, Iowa. Quinn has always had a passion for public service and leadership. In high school, he worked as an intern for Martin O’Malley’s presidential campaign, where he was able to gain first-hand experience in the political world. In 2017, he traveled to New York over Spring Break to take part in a service trip addressing homelessness and hunger. Later that year, Quinn organized an event sponsored by the Culver Center titled “The Future of Conservatism in the Trump Era.” Quinn worked to bring prominent Republicans to campus, drafted and revised questions with other fellows, organized logistics, and co-moderated the event with Culver Fellow Stacey Post. In 2018, he was an intern on David Young's campaign for US Congress. In addition to being a Culver Fellow and partaking in the political science and public relations programs, Quinn plays football for Simpson College. Upon graduation, he hopes to continue his education and work in politics and public relations. “Joining the Culver Fellows, and attending Simpson College, have been two of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”

Jake StoulilJake Stoulil is a Culver Fellow from Kansas City, Missouri, where he graduated from Park Hill High School. He is pursuing a double major in Actuarial Science and Economics & Finance, as well as a double minor in Political Science and Computer Information Systems. Jake became interested in politics while participating in debate in high school. Jake is the Lincoln-Douglas Event Undergraduate Assistant for the Speech and Debate Team. Along with being a part of the Simpson Speech and Debate Team and being a Culver Fellow, Jake is also a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity. In the summer of 2018, Jake completed his first Actuarial internship at Athene in West Des Moines.

Amir SuljicAmir Suljic is a Culver Fellow from West Des Moines, Iowa. He is double majoring in Political Science and History with a Minor in Public Relations. At Simpson, he is currently involved with the Speech and Debate and Mock Trial teams. His interest in politics began as he grew older and began to understand his Bosnian heritage and the opportunities being born in the United States has given him; as well as how staying politically active can change not only one’s own life, but a community as a whole. Amir previously interned for eight months with the Iowa Senate Democratic Research Staff at the Iowa State Capitol. He currently serves as the Event Management Director/Voter Involvement Chair for the Bosniak-American Association of Iowa and is the Public Policy Intern for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. His future career plans are to become a lobbyist or policy analyst and run for public office.

Kyler ZielsdorfKyler Zielsdorf is a Culver Fellow from Merriam, Kansas, where he graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School. He is pursuing a double major in Political Science and Criminal Justice, with aspirations of attending law school and joining the United States Marine Corps upon graduation. In addition to being a Culver Fellow, Kyler also is a member of the Men’s Soccer team. Kyler is honored to have been chosen as a Culver Fellow and enjoys being involved on campus and in the community.


CLASS OF 2021:

Emily BellEmily Bell is a Culver Fellow from Aurora, Colorado. She graduated from Cherokee Trail High School and is currently majoring in Business Management at Simpson. Emily plans to attend law school at the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado. The Culver Fellowship interests her because it offers a lot of unique opportunities in the political field that will broaden her knowledge and benefit her future career goal. Emily is involved in many activities at Simpson, including softball and Speech and Debate. She is also a student ambassador in the Admissions office. Politics are important to Emily because they are a force that can drive change. “Being a Culver Fellow is the first step in improving my political knowledge to begin to make a difference in this world.”

Kobey BosworthKobey Bosworth is a Culver Fellow from O’Fallon, Illinois, where he graduated from O’Fallon Township High School. He is majoring in Political Science and plans to attend law school after graduation from Simpson College. In addition to the Culver Fellowship, Kobey is involved in Greek life and wrestling at Simpson.



Katie CardozaKatie Cardoza is a Culver Fellow from Springfield, Missouri, where she graduated from Central High School. Katie is majoring in International Relations and Political Science.  At Simpson, Katie is on the swim team, Speech and Debate team, Model United Nations team, and a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority.  She gained an interest in international politics when she started her high school’s Model United Nations team.  As a Culver Fellow, Katie hopes to be a part of the Capitol Hill Internship Program, help spread political knowledge, and work beside influential people.  After Simpson, she would like to advocate international peace.

Andrew DunnAndrew Dunn is a Culver Fellow from Spirit Lake, Iowa. He is majoring in Political Science and International Relations. In addition to being a Culver Fellow, Andrew co-founded and serves as Board President of The Globus Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth around the world socially, economically, and politically and the Iowa Grassroots PAC, a political action committee dedicated to getting young people involved in Democratic politics. He also has served as the Chairman of the State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council, a non-partisan policy advising organization comprised of young people from across Iowa between the ages of 14 and 20. On campus, Andrew is involved with the Simpson College Democrats, SC Feminists, The Simpson Speech, Debate, and Mock Trial Team, CAB, Pre-Law Society, and works in the Office of Admissions as a Student Ambassador. After graduation, Andrew intends to pursue further education in law and international relations.

Daniel EstradaDaniel Estrada is a Culver Fellow from Gilbert, Arizona.  At Simpson College, he is double majoring in Political Science and Psychology with a minor in Economics. He is looking to find future employment or internships in a law firm or public office.  Daniel graduated from Perry High School and is a first-generation, Hispanic college student.  On campus, he is involved in the Speech and Debate team, Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization, Campus Activities Board, Simpson Democrats, Intramurals, Pre-Law Society, and a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity.  His drive to pursue his interest in politics stems from understanding the struggle of lower-income families who wish to participate in politics.  Daniel sees education as a means to lessen the effects of poverty and in turn, will provide a more informed, tolerant group of citizens who exercise the right to vote. He hopes to promote participation of voting on campus as well as increase outreach to students who don’t think they can afford college. “The decision I made to attend Simpson College was ultimately based on what The Culver Fellowship offered me as a first generation college student. This program continues to provide me with the opportunity to explore what civic engagement truly means and a community to debate the nation’s biggest issues with a diverse pool of viewpoints and perspectives.”

Michael RoetsMichael Roets is a Culver Fellow from Princeton, Texas. Michael is majoring in multimedia communications. In addition to his involvement with the Culver Fellows program, Michael is a member of The Storm’s tennis team, an actor in the theatre department, a debater, and a really big fan of Hamilton. “The Culver Fellowship has given me the opportunity to capitalize on the rich political environment of this part of Iowa, providing me with ample opportunities to learn how to turn the dreams of the classroom into the reality of our community.”

Joe SamsJoe Sams is a Culver Fellow from Indianola, Iowa. He is majoring in Political Science and Psychology, working towards a future in law school. In addition to the Culver Center, Joe is involved in Greek life, pre-law society, speech and debate, and intramurals.


 

Jailyn SeabrooksJailyn Seabrooks is a Culver Fellow from Alburnett, Iowa. She is majoring in Political Science and Religion. Besides the Culver Fellowship, she is involved in Speech & Debate, Residence Life, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Simpson Democrats, Andrew Goodman Foundation and Model UN. She has interned with NewBoCo in Cedar Rapids and the Fred Hubbell campaign. She decided to pursue a career in politics after being involved in an organization, Iowa Student Learning Institute, that advocates for the involvement of students in educational leadership. After graduation, she hopes to work for a nonprofit focused on getting more women in politics.

Natasha ShippNatasha Shipp is a Culver Fellow from Oskaloosa, Iowa. Natasha is double majoring in Political Science and Applied Philosophy. She obtained her passion for politics and public service while debating in high school and as she worked on the Hillary for Iowa Campaign in 2015 and 2016. While at Simpson, Natasha has enjoyed several wonderful opportunities such as interning on the Hubbell for Governor campaign and attending a civic engagement conference at Harvard. Giving a voice to those less fortunate remains an important goal for Natasha. She plans on using her experiences from Simpson College and the Culver Fellowship to advocate healthcare policy issues in Iowa. Natasha is thrilled to work with the other Culver Fellows to better the communities we all hold dear.

Chase ThurstonChase Thurston is a Culver Fellow from Wapello, Iowa. He is majoring in Multimedia Communication while at Simpson. In high school, Chase was involved in Boy Scouts of America, attaining the coveted rank of Eagle Scout. In addition to Culver Fellows, he is also involved with the Speech & Debate team, SC Democrats, and CAB Marketing. Chase was drawn to Simpson and to the Culver Fellows program by his interest in politics and expressing his political beliefs. He feels that Simpson is very open and active in terms of discussing current political matters. Upon graduation, Chase plans to attend graduate school to pursue a Master’s degree in Journalism.

Geoff VanDeusenGeoff Van Deusen III is a Culver Fellow from Olathe, Kansas, where he graduated from Olathe Northwest High School. He is majoring in Political Science and history. He plans to attend law school after he graduates from Simpson College. Geoff is a leader on the Speech and Debate team, president of the Simpson College Democrats, and recruitment chair for Lambda Chi Alpha. He is excited to be a Culver Fellow because he wants to get civically engaged while getting members of his community engaged, as well.

Grant ZajicekGrant Zajicek is a Culver Fellow from Panora, Iowa.  He is majoring in Political Science with a minor in International Relations.  Grant has interned with the Iowa House of Representatives as a Legislative Page in 2017 and clerked for Representative Dave Maxwell in the spring 2018 legislative session.  At Simpson, he looks forward to being actively involved in Mock Trial, Simpson College Republicans, and the Debate team. He also is a member of the Iowa National Guard and plans to serve his country in the military and the political world.  As an Eagle Scout and member of the Iowa National Guard, Grant has a deep passion for serving his country.  He is honored to be a Culver Fellow and plans to make the most out of his time at Simpson.


CLASS OF 2022:

Paula CarlsonPaula Carlson is a Culver Fellow from Thomas Jefferson High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is majoring in Health Service Leadership and Clinical Health Science with a minor in Philosophy. Her goal is to become a health lawyer that specializes in defending medical professionals in malpractice lawsuits. At Simpson she plans to be involved in religious life community, a sorority, CAB, and a softball manager. She is looking forward to being a Culver Fellow due to the opportunities of networking and connections she will be able to gain through the program.

Kylie DoupnikKylie Doupnik is a Culver Fellow from Harvard, Nebraska. She plans on majoring in Political Science and hopes to attend law school after college. On campus she is involved in Speech and Debate and Women’s Chorale. She is also an active member of P.R.I.D.E, Simpson Feminists and serves as secretary for Simpson Democrats. Kylie is very excited for all the opportunities being a Culver Fellow will provide her.
 

Taylor HoffmanTaylor Hoffman is a Culver Fellow from Okoboji, Iowa. She graduated from Okoboji High School and plans to major in English with a possible double major in either Political Science or Psychology. She hopes to attend law school after graduating from Simpson. Besides the Culver Fellowship, Taylor is involved in the Speech and Debate program and plans to take advantage of Simpson’s intramurals and service opportunities. Taylor is excited to be a part of the Culver Fellowship because she believes in the importance of political activism and giving back to her community.

Triniti KraussTriniti Krauss is a Culver Fellow from Grand Junction, Colorado. She graduated from Palisade High School and is an International Baccalaureate Diploma Recipient. She is majoring in Global Management and International Relations with a minor in Spanish. She is a member of Simpson’s Speech & Debate team and of Theatre Simpson. As a Culver Fellow, Triniti is excited to promote political participation and bipartisan conversation. 
 

Gabe MadsonGabe Madson is a Culver Fellow from Harlan, Iowa and graduated from Harlan Community High School. He plans to major in Business management with a minor in Entrepreneurship. He is involved in Simpson College Republicans, trading card club, theatre, CEO, band, choir, jazz band, Fandom, and International club. He is most excited to get more involved in the political world as a young person and have his voice heard by others. 
 

Margaret (Maggie) Nielsen is a Culver Fellow from Hastings, Nebraska where she graduated from Hastings Senior High School. While at Simpson, Maggie plans to double major in International Relations and German. Maggie plans on being involved with the band, and the debate and Model UN teams, as well as helping out around the chapel and Holy Grounds while at Simpson. Her hopes for after Simpson include hopefully going to graduate school and obtaining a Master’s in International Relations, specializing in Eastern and Central European Relations. But for now, Maggie is looking forward to all the experiences that come with being a Culver Fellow. She most looks forward to helping to get her peers involved in politics and hopefully help foster a passion for them that would rival her own.

Ava Shannon is a Culver Fellow from West Liberty, Iowa. She graduated from West Liberty High School. Ava intends to major in Political Science. At Simpson, she is involved in Speech and Debate, On the House, PRIDE, and Simpson Feminists. Ava is excited to be a Culver Fellow because she is looking forward to participating in the Capitol Hill Internship Program and studying in the nation’s capital.

Jocelyn SmithJocelyn Smith is a Culver Fellow from Waukee, Iowa. During her time at Simpson College, she intends to major in Political Science. She is involved in choir and Theatre Simpson and hopes to continue her work with Next Gen Iowa to register young voters across the state. Jocelyn has always been an advocate for various communities and is excited to continue those efforts at and around Simpson. She is excited about being a Culver Fellow because it allows her to make stronger connections with politicians from across the state and country.

Elise SturgeonElise Sturgeon is a Culver Fellow from Sioux City, Iowa where she graduated from North High School. In 2014 she interned for the Woodbury County Democrats and was an employee of the Iowa Democratic Party’s coordinated campaign in 2016. She was also very involved in the March for Our Lives movement and organized a student protest at her high school. Elise plans on majoring in Political Science while at Simpson and is looking forward to participating in Debate and Theatre. She is excited to join the Culver Fellows so that she can help others realize how important the political process is to our everyday lives and show how powerful people can be when they stand together for change. 

Noah TrujilloNoah Trujillo is a Culver Fellow from Littleton, Colorado. He graduated from Arapahoe High School and plans to major in Political Science with a minor in Economics. Noah is a member of the Speech & Debate team and works in the Office of Admissions as a member of the Storm Squad.

 

Maria VeaseyMaria Veasey is a Culver Fellow from Houston, Texas and graduated high school from Oak Ridge. She plans to major in Forensic Science with a minor in Criminal Justice. She is a member of the women's soccer team. She greatly appreciates the opportunity to be a Culver Fellow because she gets to help out with new and exciting events that people will be able to enjoy as well as meet new people.